New census data shows that many Georgia grandparents are sheltering and raising grandchildren. Some of the highest numbers are in Middle Georgia.

In an eleven county area in Middle Georgia nearly 11-thousand families have grandchildren living with them. And in more than half the cases grandparents are the primary care givers.

Nationwide that’s the case for to nearly 2-million grandparents. Georgia AARP Director Pamela Roshell says economic hardships have split families and cut state programs.

“Lack of funding has really been one of the unfortunate things that has happened to some momentum that was really going around creating coordinated care services for grandparents raising grandchildren.”

Roshell says some of the greatest challenges they face are financial, as well as access to education and health care for the children.

Tags: AARP, Grandparents as caregivers, U.S. 2010 Census, Geoagia, Pamela Roshell